Morgan Freeman’s American History

60 Minutes interviewer Mike Wallace once asked Morgan Freeman, “Black history month you find ridiculous, why?”

Freeman responded, "You're going to relegate my history to a month? Which month is White History Month?”

The seasoned interviewer Mike Wallace was taken aback.

“I’m Jewish,” defensively responded Wallace.

“Which month is Jewish History Month?”

“I don’t want one,” Wallace said.

“I don’t either,” Freeman said.

Freeman continues, “I don’t want a Black History Month. Black History is American History.”

“I’m going to stop calling you a white man. And I’m going to ask you stop calling me a black man. I know you as Mike Wallace. You know me as Morgan Freeman.”

This powerful conversation wasn’t just powerful because of Freeman’s distinctive voice and articulation, but because he made you understand that the oppression of his people dates back for generations.

Morgan Freeman is man of his roots.

He had uncovered that his great-great grandmother lived and had 8 children with a white man, Freeman’s great-great grandfather, in 1870, which was just five years after the end of the Civil War.

This indicates he was not just another plantation owner womanizing his slaves.

In fact, his great-great grandfather “sold” his land to his sons because they were not able to inherit it given they were considered “illegitimate” children in Mississippi.

Freeman also learned that both his great-great grandparents were buried next to one another with all of their children.

While this sounds normal today, in the postbellum South, this was highly unusual or perhaps unheard of.

In fact, blacks and whites often had their separate cemeteries.

The history of Freeman’s family is not black or white history.

The history of Freeman’s family is just history.